1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to cookware and, more particularly, relates to a self-contained straining system for a frying pan or skillet. The present invention further relates to a food cooking apparatus with a strainer component that may be used following the cooking process to extricate cooked food from secreted grease without spillage. Grease or other liquids may be drained from the cooked food through drainage pores and deposited in the receiving skillet, where it may then be poured out via the pouring spout allowing safe and efficient transfer of grease.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, frying pans and strainers, as are generally well known in the prior art, have been used in the cooking and preparation of food. Specifically of interest to the present invention are the following: Collard U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,693 discloses a convex cooking surface insert with radial apertures for draining. Donnellan U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2008/0017048 discloses a grease strainer insert Wang U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,494 discloses a cooking device including a container, a collecting pan, a straining member and a cover and suggests that the device may be used for removing excess oil from food. Marriot U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,224 discloses a food strainer that fits multiple pot and pan sizes for the use of straining liquid from solid food. Sizer U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,202 discloses a disposable strainer for use in lining a pot, pan, or kettle in which food is deep fried. Sheu U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,937 discloses a combination pan, consisting of a frying pan with a steamer pan insert.
Collard U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,693 discloses a convex cooking surface insert with radial apertures for draining during the cooking process. The convex nature of the insert fails to account for foods which must be contained, allowing cooked food to fall back into the grease from which it was extracted. The present invention allows for containment of the food in a separate concave skillet.
Donnellan U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2008/0017048 discloses a flat grease strainer insert, which fails to prevent cooked foodstuffs from falling back into the grease upon extraction of the grease strainer insert from the pan.
Wang U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,494 discloses a cooking device including a container, a collecting pan, a straining member and a cover and suggests that the device may be used for removing excess oil from food. However, this differs from the present invention in that Wang teaches a device that can be used for steaming or deep frying, situations involving liquid and oil being directly used in the cooking process. The present invention teaches a device to remove oil and grease from the foodstuffs being cooked, resulting in a healthier, less greasy final product.
Marriot U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,224 discloses a food strainer that fits multiple pot and pan sizes for the use of straining liquid from solid food. Marriot teaches a device that is in fact a strainer lid for a pan, rather than the active cooking surface described in the present invention.
Sizer U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,202 discloses a disposable strainer for use in lining a pot, pan, or kettle in which food is deep fried. The present invention teaches a skillet for frying, seeking to remove grease from the foodstuffs. The Sizer patent is used in a situation where foods must be deep fried in the oil, which is contradictory to the objectives of the present invention.
Sheu U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,937 discloses a combination pan, consisting of a frying pan with a steamer pan insert. The steamer pan insert in Sheu differs in both function and intent from the lining skillet described in the present invention. The Steamer insert taught in Sheu is designed to suspend the food above a liquid for steaming, the liner does not itself comprise a cooking surface.
These prior art devices have several known drawbacks, in that they all teach an apparatus for the removal of grease or oil from food, however, none of these devices teach a concave insert with frying surface and a pour spout for grease collection. The aforementioned prior art exists for removal of oil following deep-frying or liquids following steaming or boiling. Additionally, the prior art devices teach the removal of grease immediately upon generation during the cooking process, while the present invention allows the practioner to determine when the grease is to be removed from the food. Additionally, the present invention allows the efficient transfer of grease without the requirement of transferring the food from the pan to a strainer and back to the pan, thus limiting the risk of spillage or splash burn injury.